The present invention relates, in general, to the field of power generation and industrial boiler design, including boilers, steam generators and heat exchangers used in the production of steam, such as those used to generate electricity or those used for industrial steam applications and, more particularly, to a shop-assembled solar receiver heat exchanger having an integral support structure.
A solar receiver is a primary component of a solar energy generation system whereby sunlight is used as a heat source for the production of high quality steam that is used to turn a turbine generator, and ultimately generate electricity. The receiver is permanently positioned on top of an elevated support tower that is strategically positioned in a field of heliostats, or mirrors, that collect rays of sunlight and reflect those rays back to target wall(s) in the receiver. An efficient, compact solar receiver for such systems which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture would be welcomed by the industry.